


Guessing Games

by SunnyD_lite



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M, Tag: Older and Far Away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-07-06
Updated: 2004-07-05
Packaged: 2017-10-07 17:09:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/67253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunnyD_lite/pseuds/SunnyD_lite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A moment between Spike and Buffy during their "thing".</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Joss created them, various Corporations own them. I'm just battling the plot bunnies.

Part One

"Do you wanta play a game?"

"What kind of game, Slayer? Not one where I end up all dusty I hope."

Spike raised an eyebrow. This was a different turn of events. Slayer never initiated, unless it was after a round of beat the Spike. He knew that was so she could pretend that it was happening TO her, not WITH her. Fine distinction, but his Slayer was all for splitting hairs, just not split ends.

"No, not that kind of game, 'least not now." Always with the threats, s'alright though. He thought he knew where he stood.

"Then what, Slayer?"

"It's a guessing game."

"Not bleeding twenty questions. Harmony drove me round the bend with that one. Even Dawn tired of it more quickly then her blondeness."

That remark earned him a punch in the nose. Wasn't sure if it was the Harmony reference or the blonde crack. Considering Harris kept calling him Captain Peroxide, he wasn't sure why that would set her off, but it did.

"Not twenty questions. Not talking about Harmony, the Bimbo Vampire here."

Ahh, it HAD been the comment about the bint. Good to know. Wonder if that meant she took Harm more seriously as a rival than as a vampire? To be fair, nobody took Harm seriously as a vampire, except those minions she found somewhere. Still boggled the mind, that one did.

"Spike, are you there? 'Cuz if you'd rather think about Harmony, I've got all sorts of chores I should be doing at home."

With vamp speed he moved directly in front of her. "No, Slayer, right here."

"I haven't been training like I should. If I go to the Magic Box, I'll get dragged into a conversation about wedding bouquets or the colour of the tablecloths."

Her mouth formed a moue of disgust, but what worried him was that he could see her tensing at the thought.

"And if I'm at home, then Dawn will need something or Willow will be all apologetic or the dishes will need to be washed..."

He hated the fact that she was being pulled in so many directions that she no longer knew where she was. He'd wanted to help with money, but Summers' pride bollixed that idea.

"So, will you help me?"

She had to ask? It was all he wanted to do, make her life easier. But eagerness always upset her so, cool as a cucumber he said, "'Course Slayer, whatever you need."

_******A little while later*********_

She was standing by the bed. Eyes closed, hands full of darts. His job was to get as close to her as possible without her 'tagging' him.

He'd had to convince her that the darts were fine. She'd suggested either Velcro darts or paint balls. The first weren't aerodynamic enough to simulate a real fight. As for the second, he didn't relish the thought of paint stains now that he'd finally made an effort with the crypt. Plus, a bit of pain never bothered him, though it sometimes 'got' him bothered!

He knew his game plan, and had removed his leather duster. As powerful as it made him feel, this was a time for stealth and the Slayer could hear the ripple of leather. He slipped forward in a zig-zag pattern, advancing until

***zing***

The dart only missed him because he dropped to the floor. However, that maneuvre made a bit of a thud, and two more darts were on their way to him.

He rolled over and heard the ping as they hit the stone floor. He glanced up at the Slayer, who held two new darts in her hands. It always amazed him how accurate she could be with her 'weaker' hand. As a lefty, he had to learn to use his weaker one in a predominately right-y world. Plus the caning, when he was a boy, provided incentive to not use his 'sinister' hand.

He wasn't at the right angle for what he'd been planning. He slowly raised himself up and inched sideways, further away from the Slayer.

She turned slowly towards him, like a sunflower following the path of ...bloody hell, now he was channeling William while he was supposed to be stalking a Slayer.

With vamp speed, he moved to the other side of the room. With Slayer senses, she turned to follow him.

***zing***

She aimed this one low, but he'd anticipated that and jumped up and forward. His trajectory was true and he tackled the Slayer onto the bed. "I win," he said.

"I don't think so," was her reply.

He raised himself on his arms, keeping her trapped beneath him and saw what she meant. A dart was inserted right above his heart. Had it been a stake....well, that's why he'd chosen a metal weapon.

"I win," she said opening her eyes and flipping him on the bed. "And now I get to kiss it all better."

This was a form of losing he could get used to.


	2. Chapter 2

** PART TWO**

"You let me get too close, pet," he said after a bit of a snog with his Slayer. "Uppsie, let's try that again, shall we?"

With a sigh, Buffy got up and went to gather the darts. Spike reached under the bed and pulled out a heavy silk scarf, which he folded in thirds.

"Here, luv, why don't you try it with this?" His tones matched the slickness of the material he held.

"Hmm, reminds me of the Watcher's test." She moved towards him. "But their blindfold wasn't nearly as nice. Okay."

She was full of surprises today.

So was he. He removed both his docs and his socks. This time he crept along the wall and then began to climb it. It did mean putting his back to her, but he hoped it would be unexpected. His fingers and toes dug into the cracks in the stone and soon he was crossing the ceiling.

She was beneath him when suddenly she looked up, despite the blindfold, and threw a dart right at him. He moved a little further, letting go and landing on the bed.

She went to pull off the blindfold when he said, "S'alright, you got me. But leave that on a minute would you?"

"Spike, you were climbing the walls! Literally! I didn't think you could do the ceiling. That's why I waited so long, I wanted to hear you go thud!"

"Never happen. Just 'cuz you never let most of the vamps around here age properly, doesn't mean that we older ones don't have a few tricks up our sleeves."

He crawled towards the foot of the bed where she stood, facing him.

"Why don't we try another type of game then?" his tones were a little husky. With Slayer standing by his bed, inapropriate suggestions were worth the risk of another nose punch.

"I have to keep training, Spike. I **HAVE** to."

Her voice was thin with stress. It almost sounded like pleading. He grabbed her and turned her so she could sit between his legs at the edge of the bed.

At first she struggled but then leaned into his, well, lack of warmth. He held her between his arms, comforting-like. Part of him waited for her to pull away like she always did, but the rest of him was going to keep her this close as long as possible.

"Hush, there. Tell Spike what's wrong."

He used the tones he'd used when she first got back. When they HAD talked. He began rocking back and forth a little, hoping the movement would soothe her.

"Remember what you told me, the night I asked about the other slayers?"

He wouldn't tense up. This was to comfort her. How could he forget her saying it would never be him, that he was beneath her? He kept moving and kept his tone soft, "What about that night, pet?"

"That Slayers are in love with death, that we want it."

He almost sighed with relief until he realized what she'd said.

"Are you feeling the pull then, luv? Is that what this is about?" Things were falling into place, but he didn't like the picture he was seeing.

"It's just so hard. Nothing is mine anymore. It's all paying bills or dealing with a sulky sister or assuring Willow about her magic problems. Nothing is just fun or good or mine. This is the only place I feel me. Everywhere else, I'm like a puppet. A worker puppet, a big sister puppet, a Slayer puppet."

She wiggled back into him. He didn't think she noticed what she was doing.

"They're my friends, my family, and I just want to get away. Even patrolling doesn't feel like it used to. Closer, but not quite there."

"You haven't had any full rough 'n' tumbles lately. A good fight always clears the head, focuses you. The nerds are more pests than proper fighters. No wonder they're draining your energy, luv."

She wasn't objecting to his calling her luv, so distracted she was. He was not going to let that opportunity be missed, even if she never accepted how much he meant it.

"But shouldn't I be happy about things other than fighting? Am I ONLY the slayer now? Not Buffy? Did Willow not bring me all back?"

"Luv, you've never been **ONLY** the slayer. Not before and not now. And I've met a few of them, not just the ones I k...that we spoke about."

Spike almost kicked himself for talking about killing Slayers. Sometimes it was hard to remember what was appropriate.

"I said you were different because of your connections to the world, but also because of YOU, luv. You've taken the Council of Wankers' training, but turned it to YOUR uses, not theirs. Not many of the others had the strength for that. And that's how I know you'll be fine."

He had a quick debate in his head but decided that even if it pissed her off, she needed a hug right now. He tightened his arms around her, pulling her even closer to him.

"You've had a bit of a rough year, luv. And that's putting it mildly." He began to stroke her hair around the blindfold. Niblet had liked that, when she needed comforting. Buffy let out a small sigh. Spike smiled, another similarity the monks had gotten right.

"But when is it going to get better? You told me one of us has to be living, and right now I don't think it's me."

It was the weariness in her voice that broke his heart. It was like her light was gone and all that was left was embers. However, embers could be re-stoked into a fire, if you knew how and had the right material.

"What were some of the things you liked, when you had time to like things?" he asked.

"I can't remember. I can't remember having fun or giggling or what I liked. It's all fuzzy."

He felt her tensing up again. Couldn't have that.

"Let me guess then, and you can tell me if I'm right." He could just list them, but she was feeling unconnected. This way she would have to be involved, even if only to correct him.

"Why would you know what I liked?" incredulity animated that question.

"Never mind that for now. Will you tell me if I get it right?"

Had she completely forgot him studying her when he first came to town? The...well, he guessed stalking was the new term for it...he did last year? His Slayer was definitely off her game if she didn't keep track of who was watching her. Or...and this was a lowering thought...the fact that he was watching her didn't matter.

"Can't think of anything?" She was always 'little miss patience'.

"Mochachinos."

"What?"

"Those frozen chocolate coffee thingies. You really liked those."

"Yeah, I did." She sounded a little surprised. "I haven't had one in ages. But they're so expensive, and Doublemeat coffee is free. Not sure if it's coffee though."

"Thelma and Louise."

"I used to watch it all the time, with Mom, but after we'd put Dawn to bed. Young Brad Pitt-y goodness. His abs were almost as shapely as yours."

This last part was off-handed, he didn't think she realized what she'd said. He hurried on to the next item.

"Very high heels, generally in very bright colours. Could see you coming a mile away in some of your shoes, luv."

"Hey! You try having to jump up to see over some of the tombstones in this town! I needed the height!"

Yup, his girl loved talking about shoes. The energy level in her voice had doubled.

Then she sighed. "Shoes, shopping, things which need money and I still haven't paid for the holes in the wall from my birthday party."

He wished he could help with that. He wished that he could give her gold and jewels and those inappropriate shoes she loved. Her just being her gave him the sun. He wished he could give her the moon; but she wouldn't let him.

"What about 'Bit getting a job? That way she could earn her own spending money, and be supervised a bit more when you have to work."

Normally, he wouldn't try to interfere, but she seemed more open to his comments today. Or more desperate, so was willing to listen to anyone. Beggars can't be choosers.

"I never had to have a job. I want her to have a normal life. I should be able to do that. She should have what I didn't."

There was a bit of warmth in her voice when she talked about the Bit. She wasn't as far gone as she thought then.

"Teens having a job IS normal, luv. It's on the telly all the time. Looks good on college applications, too. Discipline, and time management skills, and the like."

She turned to look at him, as if she'd forgotten about the blindfold. "When did you start sounding all career counsel-y? Oh you of the kitten poker games."

This time her voice carried a bit of mischief. She was laughing at him. No, she was laughing. That was good.

"Promised I'd protect her. Turned out to be a bit of a wider definition than I thought." He knew he sounded rueful, but he'd enjoyed every minute of it.

Helping Dawn plan, thinking towards a future and not just the pain the past brought to both of them during that summer.

"I don't think she'd mind, pet. It would let her feel like she was helping you. She wouldn't feel so alone if she had her own stuff to worry about."

"So a job might mean no more never-ending parties? And more cash flow? That's good."

Then she sighed, and rested her head against his shoulder. Definitely full of surprises today.

"But who would hire her? She's kinda banned from the places she shoplifted from, and her crime career was almost worthy of you."

He wasn't sure how to take that. Was she reminding herself that he was bad? Or had she so accepted it that it wasn't an issue? She was a puzzle, his girl.

"Sure we can think of something. 'Bit might have a few ideas of her own. She's no dummy, your sis."

"She's getting better marks than I ever did, that's for sure."

She curled up on his lap. He kept his arms around her, giving her the illusion of safety and, hopefully, some real comfort.

"Well, she's not out half the night keeping the world safe for puppies and Christmas, is she? She does want to do her share to help. She's just not sure how."

Was he talking about the Bit or himself there. Did it matter?

"So...if Dawn gets a job, I can afford some mochachinos and maybe some new shoes. Then the bit of time we aren't both working or she's in school, the two of us can rent Thelma and Louise and life will be better?"

"It's a start, luv." It wasn't how he would have it. But it was all that she would accept. The mere fact that they were talking right now was a bit of a miracle.

So, it was a start for her. And maybe for them.

"Yeah, it is," she said with a strange little smile, one he hadn't seen before.

She reached up and gently kissed him.

A very good start indeed.


End file.
